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Feb. 18, 2011

State Lifts Emerald Ash Borer Quarantine, Federal Quarantine Remains Pennsylvania Hardwoods Industry will Benefit from Changes

Harrisburg – The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture today announced that the state Emerald Ash Borer quarantine restricting the in-state movement of ash materials and all hardwood firewood will be lifted April 15. However, a federal quarantine remains in effect.

The Emerald Ash Borer is a highly invasive, wood-boring beetle that kills ash trees and poses a threat to the state’s $25 billion hardwoods industry.

“Lifting our quarantine will allow free movement on Emerald Ash Borer-regulated materials within Pennsylvania,” said acting Agriculture Secretary George Greig. “As Emerald Ash Borer has moved rapidly across the state, the in-state quarantine restrictions no longer serve a productive purpose.”

Because of the beetle’s aggressive movement across Pennsylvania, the in-state quarantine – initially intended to slow the pest’s spread – is now unnecessary.

Since 2007, when the Emerald Ash Borer was first observed in Butler County, the pest has been found in 17 additional counties, including Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Centre, Clarion, Cumberland, Fulton, Indiana, Juniata, Lawrence, Mercer, Mifflin, Somerset, Union, Washington and Westmoreland.

The state quarantine includes the counties where the beetle was found in addition to the contiguous counties, for a total of 43.

A parallel federal quarantine, also established in 2007, will remain effective in Pennsylvania to help stop the spread into other states. International and federal interstate restrictions will apply to exporting Emerald Ash Borer-regulated materials from Pennsylvania to non-quarantined domestic areas and regulating countries.

Greig added that Pennsylvania remains committed to finding ways to control the beetle, which in turn will protect the state’s important hardwoods industry.

The quarantine initially restricted the movement of ash nursery stock, green lumber, and any other ash material, including logs, stumps, roots and branches, from the quarantine area. Because it is difficult to distinguish between species of hardwood firewood, all hardwood firewood—including ash, oak, maple and hickory—was quarantined.

The Emerald Ash Borer is native to China and eastern Asia. The pest likely arrived in North America in wooden shipping crates. It was first detected in July 2002 in southeastern Michigan and neighboring Windsor, Ontario, Canada.

In addition to Pennsylvania, the beetle is attacking ash trees in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Typically, the Emerald Ash Borer beetles will kill an ash tree within three years of the initial infestation. Adults are dark green, one-half inch in length and one-eighth inch wide, and fly only from early May until September. Larvae spend the rest of the year beneath the bark of ash trees. When they emerge as adults, they leave D-shaped holes in the bark about one-eighth inch wide.

For more information about the quarantine, contact Walt Blosser at 717-772-5205, and for more information about Emerald Ash Borer, contact Sven-Erik Spichiger at717-772-5229.

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Aug. 10, 2010

Emerald Ash Borer Quarantine Expanded to 43 Counties; Tree-Killing Pest Found in Cumberland, Union Counties

Harrisburg – Forty-three counties are now under a quarantine that is intended to prevent the spread of the invasive, tree-killing Emerald Ash Borer, Agriculture Secretary Russell C. Redding said today while reminding travelers not to haul firewood between counties.

Redding also said that the pest has been found in two additional counties. Beetles were found in Cumberland County at the Pennsylvania Turnpike mile marker 226 near Carlisle, and in Union County at the intersection of State Gameland and Matthew Brown roads in Gregg Township.

The Emerald Ash Borer has now been found in 17 counties: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Butler, Centre, Cumberland, Fulton, Indiana, Juniata, Lawrence, Mercer, Mifflin, Somerset, Union, Washington and Westmoreland.

The Agriculture Department has expanded its quarantine to include 31 counties, including the six where the beetle has been found this year and others that are contiguous. Those counties are: Blair, Cambria, Cameron, Centre, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Columbia, Crawford, Cumberland, Elk, Erie, Fayette, Forest, Franklin, Fulton, Greene, Huntingdon, Jefferson, Lycoming, McKean, Montour, Northumberland, Perry, Potter, Snyder, Somerset, Tioga, Union, Venango and Warren.

“The considerable quarantine expansion was based on the new detections, coupled with new detections and quarantines in neighboring states,” said Redding. “As we head into the final months of summer travel, we remind campers and travelers to follow the quarantine within the 43 counties and across the state to help limit the further spread of the beetle.”

The quarantine is intended to restrict the movement of ash nursery, green lumber, and any other ash material, including logs, stumps, roots and branches, from the quarantine area. Because it is difficult to distinguish between species of hardwood firewood, all hardwood firewood and wood chips­including ash, oak, maple and hickory­are considered quarantined. Redding said Emerald Ash Borer poses a serious threat to Pennsylvania’s nation-leading hardwoods industry, which contributes nearly $25 billion to the economy.

The wood-boring beetle is native to China and eastern Asia. The pest likely arrived in North America in wooden shipping crates. It was first detected in July 2002 in southeastern Michigan and neighboring Windsor, Ontario, Canada. In addition to Pennsylvania, the beetle is attacking ash trees in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Typically, the Emerald Ash Borer beetles will kill an ash tree within three years of the initial infestation. Adults are dark green, one-half inch in length and one-eighth inch wide, and fly only from early May until September. Larvae spend the rest of the year beneath the bark of ash trees. When they emerge as adults, they leave D-shaped holes in the bark about one-eighth inch wide.

People who suspect they have seen Emerald Ash Borer should call the department’s toll-free pest hotline at 1-866-253-7189. For more information about the quarantine, contact Walt Blosser at 717-772-5205, and for more information about Emerald Ash Borer, contact Sven-Erik Spichiger at 717-772-5229.

The Agriculture department’s Emerald Ash Borer survey crews began hanging nearly 6,000 purple panel traps from ash trees in 21 counties on May 21. The traps are designed to attract flying adult beetles to help detect further spread.

The national survey is conducted in cooperation with U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the United States Forest Service, and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ Bureau of Forestry.

Information is also available at www.agriculture.state.pa.us by searching “Emerald Ash Borer.”

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July 1, 2010
Emerald Ash Borer Found in Three New Counties; Ag Secretary Urges Public to Heed Existing Quarantine, Not Haul Firewood to Help Protect PA Hardwoods Industry

Suspected Case in Union County Awaiting Confirmation

Harrisburg – With the discovery of Emerald Ash Borer beetles in Centre, Fulton and Somerset counties, the invasive tree-killing pest has now been found in 15 Pennsylvania counties, Agriculture Secretary Russell C. Redding said today.

Emerald Ash Borer poses a serious threat to Pennsylvania’s nation-leading hardwoods industry, which contributes nearly $25 billion to the economy, Redding said.

In Centre County, the beetle was found in Potters Mills at the intersection of routes 144 and 322. The Fulton County infestation is in Valley-Hi Borough along Route 30, and the Somerset County location is in Quemahoning Township on Route 30. A suspect sample found in Gregg Township, Union County, is being tested for confirmation.

“The Agriculture department’s summer survey crews are diligently working to assess the spread of the beetle across the state,” said Redding. “With the holiday weekend at hand, we urge all campers and travelers to help prevent the further spread of these pests by not hauling firewood from place to place.”

State and federal Emerald Ash Borer quarantines restrict moving ash nursery stock, green lumber, and any other ash material, including logs, stumps, roots and branches, from the quarantine area. However, due to the difficulty in distinguishing between species of hardwood firewood, all hardwood firewood and wood chips­including ash, oak, maple and hickory­are considered quarantined.

The department has not yet expanded the existing quarantine, but will draw new quarantine lines based on the survey results through the end of July.

The invasive Emerald Ash Borer beetle was first detected in Pennsylvania in the summer of 2007 in Butler County, and subsequently was found in Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Indiana, Juniata, Lawrence, Mercer, Mifflin, Washington and Westmoreland counties.

The wood-boring beetle is native to China and eastern Asia. The pest likely arrived in North America in wooden shipping crates. It was first detected in July 2002 in southeastern Michigan and neighboring Windsor, Ontario, Canada. In addition to Pennsylvania, the beetle is attacking ash trees in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Typically, the Emerald Ash Borer beetles will kill an ash tree within three years of the initial infestation. Adults are dark green, one-half inch in length and one-eighth inch wide, and fly only from early May until September. Larvae spend the rest of the year beneath the bark of ash trees. When they emerge as adults, they leave D-shaped holes in the bark about one-eighth inch wide.

People who suspect they have found Emerald Ash Borer beetles should call the department’s toll-free pest hotline at 1-866-253-7189. For more information about the quarantine, contact Walt Blosser at 717-772-5205, and for more information about Emerald Ash Borer, contact Sven-Erik Spichiger at 717-772-5229.

The Pennsylvania Agriculture Department Emerald Ash Borer survey crews began hanging nearly 6,000 purple panel traps from ash trees in 21 counties on May 21. The traps are designed to attract flying adult beetles to help detect further spread. Crews will continue to monitor the traps all summer and remove them by the end of August.

The national survey is being conducted in cooperation with U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the United States Forest Service and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Bureau of Forestry.

Information is also available at www.agriculture.state.pa.us by searching “Emerald Ash Borer.”

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Emerald Ash Borer Found in Bedford County; Quarantine Expanded
Campers Again Urged Not to Haul Firewood from Place to Place

HARRISBURG, Pa., May 18 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Emerald Ash Borer beetles have been found near Graceville, Bedford, County, bringing to 12 the number of Pennsylvania counties where the ash tree-destroying pest has been identified, Agriculture Secretary Russell C. Redding said today.

In response to this latest discovery, Redding said a state-imposed quarantine is being expanded to include Bedford County. He reminded residents and visitors to use only locally harvested firewood, burn all of the firewood on-site, and not move it to new locations.

"Our survey crews are acting swiftly to assess the extent of infestation in Bedford County and surrounding areas," said Redding. "As we enter the summer traveling and camping season, the department urges all Pennsylvanians to heed the imposed hardwood firewood quarantine – not just in the specified areas, but throughout the state to prevent any further spread of the beetle."

The Bedford County infestation was discovered at the intersection of Tannery Road and Route 30 near Graceville, which is less than one mile east of Breezewood and less than one mile from the Fulton County line, after Department of Conservation and Natural Resources staff noticed extensive tree damage due to woodpecker. Such damage often indicates that trees may be infected as the birds injure the trees while trying to eat the beetle larvae.

State and federal Emerald Ash Borer quarantines restrict the movement from the quarantine area of ash nursery stock, green lumber and any other ash material, including logs, stumps, roots and branches, and all wood chips. Due to the difficulty in distinguishing between species of hardwood firewood, all hardwood firewood and wood chips—including ash, oak, maple and hickory—are considered quarantined.

The invasive beetle was first detected in Pennsylvania in the summer of 2007 in Butler County, and subsequently was found in Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Indiana, Juniata, Lawrence, Mercer, Mifflin, Washington and Westmoreland counties.

Emerald Ash Borer is a wood-boring beetle native to China and eastern Asia. The pest likely arrived in North America in wooden shipping crates. It was first detected in July 2002 in southeastern Michigan and neighboring Windsor, Ontario, Canada. In addition to Pennsylvania, the beetle is attacking ash trees in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin, and is responsible for the death and decline of more than 40 million trees.

Typically, the beetles will kill an ash tree within three years of the initial infestation. Adults are dark green, one-half inch in length and one-eighth inch wide, and fly only from early May until September. Larvae spend the rest of the year beneath the bark of ash trees. When they emerge as adults, they leave D-shaped holes in the bark about one-eighth inch wide.

There is no known practical control for this wood-boring pest other than destroying infested trees.

People who suspect they have seen Emerald Ash Borer should call the department's toll-free pest hotline at 1-866-253-7189. For more information about the quarantine, contact Walt Blosser at 717-772-5205, and for more information about Emerald Ash Borer, contact Sven-Erik Spichiger at 717-772-5229.

The Pennsylvania Agriculture Department Emerald Ash Borer survey crews will begin hanging nearly 6,000 purple panel traps from ash trees Friday, May 21, in 21 counties. The traps are designed to attract flying adult beetles to help detect further spread. Crews will remove the traps by the end of August.

The national survey is being conducted in cooperation with U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the U.S. Forest Service and DCNR's Bureau of Forestry. Information is also available at www.agriculture.state.pa.us by searching "Emerald Ash Borer."

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA

Phytophthora ramorum detected in Pennsylvania Sudden Oak Death

The following information CAN BE SHARED with clientele, Master Gardeners and the general public.

On Feb. 18, 2010 the Penn State Plant Disease Clinic received a sample of Laurus nobilis, known commonly as bay laurel, true laurel, sweet bay, laurel tree, Grecian laurel, or bay tree. Some people use its leaves in cooking. The tips of the leaves submitted were dead or dying and it was reported by the grower that 95% of well rooted plants in 12 or so flats exhibited the symptoms. The United States Department of Agriculture-Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS) confirmed the plants to be infected with Phytophthora ramorum, the Sudden Oak Death pathogen known to occur in trees and shrubs on the west coast of the U.S. and in Europe. The sample came from a commercial, primarily wholesale, greenhouse in eastern Pennsylvania. Phytophthora ramorum can infect many important ornamental trees and shrubs under the right conditions. There is a great deal of concern that this fungus-like organism could cause significant economic damage to eastern forests and landscapes if not excluded from the region.

The’ bay laurel’ submitted was not Umbelluiaria californica, the California bay or California bay laurel that grows on the west coast and is a major host of Phytophthora ramorum that then spreads to oaks. However, Laurus nobilis is known to be a host of Ph. ramorum.

The actual source of the Ph. ramorum in Pennsylvania is still under investigation and is very much in question. The infected plants had been grown in Pennsylvania from seed obtained from a source in California. As yet, there are no known cases of Ph. ramorum being seedborne. I learned recently that the ‘seed’ is sometimes received not as cleaned seed but as seed still in the drupe (fruit). That raises the possibility that the pathogen may have been in parts of the fruit other than the actual seed. It is also possible that the pathogen was infecting other plants in the greenhouse and spread to the Laurus. APHIS is doing ‘trace backward’ investigations to determine where the pathogen may have come from and ‘trace forwards’ to determine whether various plants sold by the Pennsylvania greenhouse are carrying the pathogen.

SO WHAT YOU SAY!! Phytophthora ramorum has, to date, been excluded from the eastern U.S. but this occurrence may indicate that the plant pathogen is now or will soon be in the region from multiple sources. In 2009, Laurus nobilis was named as the Herb of the Year by the International Herb Association (IHA). Laurus nobilis seed can be purchased from a number of sources including through Amazon.com. Web information indicates that the seed is difficult to germinate. It is my understanding that people have been encouraged to grow this plant and that it has been used in various Master Gardener projects. If seed or tissue associated with seed is actually the source of the pathogen, it is possible that Phytophthora ramorum has arrived in the east with seed purchased by backyard gardeners, etc. Where is the ‘failed to germinate’ material discarded? Where are plants with dying leaf tips discarded?

If you are presented with Laurus nobilis plants with dead or dying leaf tips or entire plants dead or dying… those symptoms may be caused by:
too much water
too little water
too much fertilizer
chilling or freeze damage
Phytophthora ramorum infection

Send a sample to the Plant Disease Clinic after filling out the Clinic form obtained at the county Cooperative Extension office (also attached). Please put the plant or plant parts in a clean Ziploc or similar bag with a DRY paper towel. Place that bag inside another bag with the clinic form OUTSIDE both bags. Put the bagged sample and form either in a padded envelop or a cardboard box. Use overnight delivery OR mail it early in the week so that it arrives in the clinic promptly and does not sit in a post office over a weekend. If that requires holding the sample a day or two, then put the packaged sample in a refrigerator (not freezer) or in a cool place out of direct sunlight until it can be sent.

There is much we don’t know about the circumstances surrounding this occurrence and, therefore, we can’t release specifics such as the name of the greenhouse. But, the information above can be used in newsletters, training sessions, news releases, grower presentations, etc.

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Emerald Ash Borer found in Juniata County; quarantine expanded

Emerald Ash Borer beetles have been found in Milford Township, Juniata County, bringing to 11 the number of Pennsylvania counties where the ash tree-destroying pest has been identified, acting Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding said recently.

In response to this latest discovery, Redding said a state-imposed quarantine is being expanded to include Juniata County. He reminded residents and visitors to use only locally harvested firewood, burn all of the firewood on-site, and not carry it to new locations.

“Thanks to the diligent work of our entomologists and staff in locating the infested areas, we are able to act quickly to establish these quarantines and work to slow the spread of the beetle,” said Redding. “The department also continues to work with loggers and lumber mills to limit the movement of potentially infested ash.”

The Juniata County infestation was discovered along Route 333 near the Mifflin County border when department entomologists noticed extensive tree damage due to woodpeckers. Woodpecker injury is a key indicator that trees may be infected with Emerald Ash Borer as the birds injure the trees while attempting to eat the beetle larvae.

State and federal Emerald Ash Borer quarantines restrict the movement from the quarantine area of ash nursery stock, green lumber and any other ash material, including logs, stumps, roots and branches, and all wood chips.

Due to the difficulty in distinguishing between species of hardwood firewood, all hardwood firewood and wood chips—including ash, oak, maple and hickory—are considered quarantined.

The invasive beetle was first detected in Pennsylvania in the summer of 2007 in Butler County, and subsequently was found in Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Indiana, Lawrence, Mercer, Mifflin, Washington and Westmoreland counties. Emerald Ash Borer is a wood-boring beetle native to China and eastern Asia. The pest likely arrived in North America hidden in wood packing materials commonly used to ship consumer and other goods. It was first detected in July 2002 in southeastern Michigan and neighboring Windsor, Ontario, Canada. In addition to Pennsylvania, the beetle is attacking ash trees in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin, and is responsible for the death and decline of more than 40 million trees.

Typically, the beetles will kill an ash tree within three years of the initial infestation. Adults are dark green, one-half inch in length and one-eighth inch wide, and fly only from early May until September. Larvae spend the rest of the year beneath the bark of ash trees. When they emerge as adults, they leave D-shaped holes in the bark about one-eighth inch wide.

There is no known practical control for this wood-boring pest other than destroying infested trees. People who suspect they have seen Emerald Ash Borer should call the department’s toll-free pest hotline at 1-866-253-7189. For more information about the quarantine, contact Walt Blosser at 717-772-5205, and for more information about Emerald Ash Borer, contact Sven-Erik Spichiger at 717-772-5229. The national survey is being conducted in cooperation with U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the United States Forest Service and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Bureau of Forestry.

EMERALD ASH BORER FOUND IN ARMSTRONG, WASHINGTON COUNTIES; QUARANTINE EXPANDED

Campers, Homeowners Statewide Urged to Stop Transporting Firewood

HARRISBURG – Emerald Ash Borer beetles have been found near Brownstown, Kiskiminetas Township, Armstrong County, and Finleyville, Union Township, Washington County, bringing to nine the number of counties where the ash tree-destroying pest has been identified, Agriculture Secretary Dennis Wolff said today. In response to this latest discovery, Wolff said a state-imposed quarantine is being expanded to include Armstrong and Washington counties. He reminded residents and visitors to use only locally harvested firewood, burn all of the firewood on-site, and not carry it to new locations.

State and federal Emerald Ash Borer quarantines restrict the movement from the quarantine area of ash nursery stock, green lumber and any other ash material, including logs, stumps, roots and branches, and all wood chips.

“Our survey crews are assessing the extent of the infestation in these two counties and surrounding areas,” said Wolff. “Due to the difficulty in distinguishing between species of hardwood firewood, all hardwood firewood­including ash, oak, maple and hickory­ are considered quarantined. Consumers need to heed the quarantine when traveling and camping this summer­not just in the quarantined areas, but throughout Pennsylvania­to prevent any further spread of the beetle.”

The invasive beetle was first detected in Pennsylvania in the summer of 2007 in Butler County, and subsequently was found in Allegheny, Beaver, Lawrence, Mercer, Mifflin and Westmoreland counties.

This summer, 20 crews – 15 in western Pennsylvania, one in Mifflin County, and four in the eastern part of the state – and two regional coordinators have been deployed to assess the spread of the beetle. Crews in Armstrong and Washington counties recovered Emerald Ash Borer beetles from the purple panel traps deployed as part of the national survey to assess the spread. Emerald Ash Borer is a wood-boring beetle native to China and eastern Asia. The pest likely arrived in North America hidden in wood packing materials commonly used to ship consumer and other goods. It was first detected in July 2002 in southeastern Michigan and neighboring Windsor, Ontario, Canada. The beetle has since been blamed for the death and decline of more than 20 million ash trees in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Maryland, Virginia and Illinois.

Typically, the beetles will kill an ash tree within three years of the initial infestation. Adults are dark green, one-half inch in length and one-eighth inch wide, and fly only from early May until September. Larvae spend the rest of the year beneath the bark of ash trees. When they emerge as adults, they leave D-shaped holes in the bark about one-eighth inch wide. There is no known practical control for this wood-boring pest other than destroying infested trees.

People who suspect they have seen Emerald Ash Borer should call the department’s toll-free pest hotline at 1-866-253-7189. For more information about the quarantine, contact Walt Blosser at 717-772-5205, and for more information about Emerald Ash Borer, contact Sven-Erik Spichiger at 717-772-5229. The national survey is being conducted in cooperation with U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the United States Forest Service and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Bureau of Forestry. Information is also available at www.agriculture.state.pa.us/emeraldashborer.

Allyson Brownlee Muth, Ed.D.
Forest Stewardship Program Associate
The Pennsylvania State University
407 Forest Resources Building
University Park, PA 16802
(814) 865-3208 PENNSYLVANIA

Emerald ash borer surveys being conducted in Pennsylvania 6/9/2009

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Several state and federal agencies, in collaboration with Penn State Cooperative Extension, are on the lookout for various species of invasive insects once again this summer in many parts of Pennsylvania.

Survey efforts are targeting the emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis, which is deadly to ash trees. The emerald ash borer is a small beetle with stealth-like behavior patterns that make it extremely difficult to detect. If not managed, the beetle threatens to devastate the ash species in North America.

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA) will employ 15 two-person survey crews, who will conduct gridded surveys around the five, core emerald-ash-borer-infested counties (Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Lawrence and Mercer) through August. The western counties of Armstrong, Cambria, Clarion, Crawford, Erie, Fayette, Forest, Greene, Indiana, Jefferson, Somerset, Venango, Warren, Washington and Westmoreland will be a part of this survey.

To detect emerald ash borer, survey crews have hung purple panel sticky traps in trees. Traps were placed in ash trees within predetermined grids measuring 1.5 square miles. Resembling a box kite, these traps are three-sided and coated with nontoxic glue, with each panel measuring about 14 inches by 24 inches.

The traps also contain a blended lure of 80 percent manuka oil (the essential oil extracted from the manuka tree, Leptospermum scoparium) and 20 percent phoebe oil (an extract of Brazilian walnut, Phoebe porosa). This lure mimics chemicals emitted by stressed ash trees, which may make the traps more effective in detecting the emerald ash borer at low population levels.

"The purple panel traps will not bring emerald ash borer into a noninfested site," said Greg Hoover, ornamental extension entomologist in Penn State's Department of Entomology. "These traps help us determine if the pest is already there."

The emerald ash borer was detected for the first time in Mifflin County in February 2009. As a result, delimiting surveys will be conducted by PDA survey crews in that county, as well as in several surrounding central Pennsylvania counties.

The remaining Pennsylvania counties will be covered by other cooperating agencies. Special survey activities in the core emerald-ash-borer-infested area in western Pennsylvania may take place but will be conducted by outside cooperators overseen by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Employees in the regional offices of PDA also will be placing emerald ash borer survey traps in counties within their areas of the commonwealth.

Officials are asking for the public's cooperation in ensuring that these traps are undisturbed so they can provide important information on the distribution of the emerald ash borer in Pennsylvania. "We realize that these traps may be unsightly to some and a source of entertainment to others, but in order for the purple panel sticky traps to work, they must be left alone," Hoover said.

Placement and servicing of traps will be the primary activity of the PDA survey crews. Images and descriptions of the trap being deployed can be found online at http://ento.psu.edu/extension/trees-shrubs/emerald-ash-borer

All traps will be labeled with the Department of Agriculture Web site address and a toll-free phone number (866-253-7189).

The local county office of Penn State Cooperative Extension will be the first point of contact for residents reporting an invasive species. Survey crews will be dispatched to investigate reports deemed credible. The crews will have state identification and fluorescent orange vests printed with EMERALD ASH BORER PROGRAM and will be driving vehicles identified with magnetic placards.

Besides PDA, participating agencies in the surveys include the Plant Protection and Quarantine division of the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the USDA Forest Service, and the Division of Forest Pest Management of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources' Bureau of Forestry.

For more information on the pest surveys, contact Greg Hoover by mail at The Pennsylvania State University, 543 ASI Building, University Park, PA 16802; by e-mail at gah10@psu.edu; or by phone at (814) 865-3256.

For more information about the emerald ash borer in Pennsylvania, as well as links to other state and national sources of information, visit the Web at http://ento.psu.edu/extension/trees-shrubs/emerald-ash-borer
Feb. 25, 2009
Department of Agriculture
Commonwealth News Bureau
Room 308, Main Capitol Building
Harrisburg, PA 17120
CONTACT: Jean Kummer
717-787-5085

EMERALD ASH BORER FOUND IN MIFFLIN COUNTY
Quarantine Imposed; Campers Urged to Stop Transporting Firewood

HARRISBURG – Emerald Ash Borer beetles, an invasive species that destroy ash trees, were identified in Granville, Mifflin County, Agriculture Secretary Dennis Wolff announced today. The beetle was first detected in Pennsylvania in the summer of 2007 in Butler County and was found again the following summer in Mercer County. To help slow the spread of the beetle, a state-imposed quarantine for Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Lawrence and Mercer counties will now be expanded to include Mifflin County.

State and federal Emerald Ash Borer quarantines restrict the movement from the quarantine area of ash nursery stock, green lumber and any other ash material, including logs, stumps, roots and branches, and all wood chips. “Our survey crews are assessing the extent of the infestation in Mifflin County and surrounding areas,” said Wolff. “We remind consumers to heed the quarantine when traveling and camping this spring and summer—not just in the quarantined areas but throughout Pennsylvania—to prevent any further spread of the beetle.”

Due to the difficulty in distinguishing between species of hardwood firewood, all hardwood firewood—including ash, oak, maple and hickory—are considered quarantined.

Since many species of wood-boring insects, including the Emerald Ash Borer, can be spread by transporting infested firewood and logs, campers and homeowners are encouraged to use only locally harvested firewood, burn all of the firewood on-site, and not carry it to new locations.

Emerald Ash Borer is a wood-boring beetle native to China and eastern Asia. The pest likely arrived in North America hidden in wood packing materials commonly used to ship consumer and other goods. It was first detected in July 2002 in southeastern Michigan and neighboring Windsor, Ontario, Canada. The beetle has since been blamed for the death and decline of more than 20 million ash trees in Ohio, Indiana, Maryland, Virginia and Illinois.

Typically, the beetles will kill an ash tree within three years of the initial infestation. Adults are dark green, one-half inch in length and one-eighth inch wide, and fly only from early May until September. Larvae spend the rest of the year beneath the bark of ash trees. When they emerge as adults, they leave D-shaped holes in the bark about one-eighth inch wide. There is no known practical control for this wood-boring pest other than destroying infested trees.

People who suspect they have seen Emerald Ash Borer should call the department’s toll-free pest hotline at 1-866-253-7189.
For more information about the quarantine, contact Walt Blosser at 717-772-5205, and for more information about Emerald Ash Borer, contact Sven-Erik Spichiger at 717-772-5229. Information is also available at www.agriculture.state.pa.us/emeraldashborer.

Emerald Ash Borer Update

Most of you have probably heard about the emerald ash borer (EAB). The EAB was found in Butler and Allegheny Counties in Pennsylvania in the summer of 2007. The PA Department of Ag headed up a monitoring program this past summer that included 35 counties in the state. These counties included all of the western PA counties as well as numerous other counties that are regarded as high risk. A high risk county includes counties that have high amounts of tourism. For example, Adams County was included in the survey due to the number of visitors and campers to the Gettysburg battlefield every year.

The results of the survey this year found the EAB in Mercer County. A quarantine has been placed on Mercer County which now restricts the movement of all hard-wood firewood and all untreated ash materials such as lumber, logs, nursery stock etc. The counties that are now under quarantine in PA include Allegheny, Butler, Mercer, Lawrence, and Beaver.

Moving infested firewood is one of the main ways this pest is trans-ported. Remember to buy firewood locally whenever you go camping and leave what you do not burn.

The EAB only attacks Ash trees. Look for the D-shaped exit holes and S-shaped larval galleries just under the bark. If you think you have the EAB call 1-866-253-7189. For more information about the emerald ash borer go to paemeraldashborer.psu.edu

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AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCES DETECTION OF EMERALD ASH BORER IN PENNSYLVANIA

HARRISBURG – Emerald Ash Borer, an invasive beetle that destroys ash trees, has been detected for the first time in Pennsylvania and a quarantine will be imposed for Butler, Lawrence, Allegheny and Beaver counties. Adult beetles were found on an ash tree in Cranberry Township, Butler County, by U.S. Department of Agriculture surveyors, through a joint effort by federal and state agriculture departments, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and Penn State Extension. The Emerald Ash Borer has forced similar quarantines in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Maryland and Michigan.
“Emerald Ash Borer poses a major threat to ash trees,” said Agriculture Secretary Dennis Wolff. “To best manage any effects of an infestation, we’re working to determine whether this is an isolated incident or a more widespread problem.” State and federal officials are conducting intensive surveys for the insect near the detection site. The quarantine is designed to help slow the spread of the beetle. Pennsylvania’s quarantine restricts the movement from the quarantine area of ash nursery stock, green lumber and any other ash material, including logs, stumps, roots and branches, and all wood chips. Due to the difficulty in distinguishing between species of hardwood firewood, all hardwood firewood—including ash, oak, maple and hickory—are considered quarantined.
Since many species of wood-boring insects, including the Emerald Ash Borer, can be spread through transport of infested firewood and logs, campers and homeowners are encouraged to: use only locally harvested firewood; burn all of it on-site; and not carry it to new locations. Emerald Ash Borer is a wood-boring beetle native to China and eastern Asia. The pest likely arrived in North America hidden in wood packing materials commonly used to ship consumer and other goods. It was first detected in July 2002 in southeastern Michigan and neighboring Windsor, Ontario, Canada. The beetle has since been blamed for the death and decline of more than 20 million ash trees in Ohio, Indiana, Maryland, Virginia and Illinois.
Typically, Emerald Ash Borer will kill an ash tree within three years of the initial infestation. Adults are dark green, one-half inch in length and one-eighth inch wide, and fly only from early May until September. Larvae spend the rest of the year beneath the bark of ash trees, and when they emerge as adults, leave D-shaped holes in the bark about one-eighth inch wide.
People who suspect they have seen Emerald Ash Borer should call the department’s toll-free pest hotline at 1-866-253-7189. For more information about Emerald Ash Borer, visit http://www.emeraldashborer.info/ or call 717-772-5229.

Department of Agriculture
Commonwealth News Bureau
Room 308, Main Capitol Building
Harrisburg, PA 17120 CONTACT:

Kristi L. Rooker (717) 787-5085

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Emerald Ash Borer quartine area, Cut and paste the following address into your web browser: http://www.agriculture.state.pa.us/agriculture/cwp/view.asp?a=3&Q=144707

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Additional information on the Emerald Ash Borer can be found on the following web site. http://paemeraldashborer.psu.edu/